Knowledge Nugget: Why India’s new Land Port Management System matters

Key takeaways:

1. The LPMS, Vinimay, is a state-of-the-art digital platform. It integrates operations across Land Ports into a unified system. The system allows secure, real-time exchange of logistics and regulatory information, bringing land ports at par with digital systems operational at airports and seaports.

2. LPMS is fully integrated with national portals to provide end-to-end digital workflows for cargo and passenger processing. It facilitates coordination between various stakeholders from government to private operators, thereby reducing delays and enhancing operational efficiency.

3. It is expected that this system will significantly reduce paperwork and enhance ease of doing business and ensure seamless movement of goods and passengers across India’s international land borders. At the same time, the Single Electronic Window and Automatic Number Plate Recognition-based gate operations will significantly reduce processing time.

4. The management of land ports is the responsibility of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), a statutory body under the Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs. LPAI was formally established in 2012.

5. LPAI is entrusted with the task of building land ports on India’s borders and providing state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities to facilitate seamless and efficient movement of cargo and passengers with an overall objective of reducing dwell time and trade transaction costs, promoting regional trade and people-to-people contact and imbibing the best international practices, as provided on the LPAI website.

Infographics by NotebookLM

6. Currently, LPAI operates 15 land ports across India’s international borders. These are:

Attari (Punjab) and Dera Baba Nanak (Punjab) along the India–Pakistan border; Rupaidiha (Uttar Pradesh), Raxaul (Bihar) and Jogbani (Bihar) along the India–Nepal border; Darranga (Assam) along the India–Bhutan border; Petrapole (West Bengal), Dawki (Meghalaya), Sutarkandi, Golakganj and Mankachar (Assam), Agartala, Srimantapur and Sabroom (Tripura) along the India–Bangladesh border; and Moreh (Manipur) along the India–Myanmar border.

Smart Border Management Initiative

1. The Union Minister has said that the government will soon launch the Smart Border Management, and this, along with LPMS, will create a more secure and modern border management system. This will help curb illegal activities and ensure the establishment of a robust and secure framework.

2. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, India has a land border of around 15,106.7 km, which is shared with Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan, as well as a small portion with Afghanistan. This makes border management an important task for the government.

(i) Bangladesh – 4096.70 kms running along West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

(ii) Pakistan – 3323 kms running along Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

(iii) China – 3488 kms running along Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

(iv) Nepal – 1751 kms running along Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.

(v) Bhutan – 699 kms running along Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

(vi) Myanmar – 1643 kms running along Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.

(vii) Afghanistan – 106 kms running along the Union Territory of Ladakh

3. Department of Border Management (DoBM): In 2004, the Department of Border Management (DoBM) was created under the MHA to solely focus on the management of international land and coastal borders, strengthening of border policing and guarding, creation of infrastructure like roads, fencing and floodlighting on the borders and the implementation of Border Area Development Programme.

4. There are two divisions of the DoBM, tasked with Deployment of border guarding forces; and Development of border areas. Border Management-I (BM-I) division deals with issues relating to strengthening of international land borders, their policing and guarding. It implements the BM-I Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme, a Central Sector Scheme comprising projects aimed at infrastructure development of India’s international borders, as per the MHA.

5. The BM-II division is tasked with implementing the Border Area Development Programme (BADP), Coastal Security Scheme (CSS), Vibrant Village Programme (VVP-I and VVP-II), and the LPAI.

Infographics by NotebookLM

6. The BADP is a core centrally sponsored scheme being implemented by the state governments as a part of a comprehensive approach to border management. The main objective of BADP is to meet the special development needs and well-being of people living in the coverage area and to provide essential infrastructures related  to health, education, road, drinking water and sanitation.

7. The CSS is being implemented in phases for providing financial assistance for the creation of infrastructure related to coastal security in the coastal states/ UTs.

8. Vibrant Villages Initiative: The first phase of the Vibrant Village programme was launched in 2023 and the second phase was launched this year. It is a Central Sector Scheme. The objective of the programme is to create better living conditions and adequate livelihood opportunities to ensure prosperous and safe borders, control trans-border crime, assimilate the border population with the nation and inculcate them as eyes and ears of the border guarding forces.

Let’s look at the major change made to the force in charge of border management.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 

1. Along with the army, the security of the international border is handled by multiple other security agencies — the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the Paramilitary Forces (PMF). This year, the government has enacted the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026.

2. The Act replaced the fragmented rules with a single unified framework, marking a significant centralisation of oversight governing the five CAPFs–— the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

3. According to the Act, 50% of the posts are to be filled by deputation in the rank of Inspector General (IG), and a minimum of 67% of the posts at Additional DG rank will be filled by deputation. The posts in the ranks of Special DG and DG shall be filled exclusively by deputation.

4. It effectively undo a Supreme Court verdict directing the Centre to progressively reduce the deputation of IPS officers in the CAPFs. On May 23, 2025, the Supreme Court directed a progressive reduction in the deputation of IPS officers in the CAPFs to the posts of DIG (Deputy Inspector General of Police) and IG within a period of two years.

Post Read Question

Consider the following statements:

1. Vibrant Villages Programme is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented in all the UTs.

2. Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal share borders with China.

3. VINIMAY falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

How many of the statements mentioned above is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Answer Key: (a)

Note: Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect. 

(Sources: https://www.mha.gov.in, Amit Shah launches Vibrant Villages Programme in Arunachal: What is this scheme, https://www.lpai.gov.in)

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